Legendary recording engineer Steve Albini has died at age 61 of a heart attack.
If you know, you know. And if so, you probably came of age in the 1990s, when few truly understood The Problem With Music. For years he was known as much for being an “irascible gadfly” (a term I used for him in Hearts on Fire) as he was his devotion to pure live sound on recordings, resisting modern sonic trends.
I love many records Albini made, but I’m not the ideal person to write an obit, so I’ll refer you to Pitchfork’s. Or the New York Times—the only place I’ve seen so far that mentions he produced Robert Plant and Jimmy Page’s reunion album, a job that saved Albini from likely bankruptcy despite having recently made one of the biggest rock records of the 1990s (Nirvana’s In Utero). To be sure, Walking Into Clarksdale is not as cool as the Pixies’ Surfer Rosa, by any measure. (Robert Plant was apparently an early Big Black fan.) But it’s one of the more interesting twists in a storied career, one that earned him the often-misused adjective “iconoclastic.”
But if you’re going to read one piece about Albini this week, it should be this 2023 profile in the Guardian by Jeremy Gordon, when Albini was very much alive.
It not only serves as a comprehensive biography (and now, an obituary) but it has him repenting for some of the harsher things the former self-described “edgelord” said in his life (of which there are hundreds). To me his arc is a textbook case of growth and maturity and the strength to say this about harmful youthful folly: “The one thing I don’t want to do is say: ‘The culture shifted – excuse my behaviour.’ It provides a context for why I was wrong at the time, but I was wrong at the time.” We’ve all known young Steve Albinis in our lives. Hopefully we now have elder Albinis in our lives. We no longer have this particular one.
If you’re a podcast person, Vish Khanna has had several in-depth conversations with Albini. I believe this is the most recent.
Lots of sites will cite his loudest, most abrasive records, and of course Surfer Rosa. And this song below, too, which always makes me turn it up way too loud so the beginning is audible and then once everything comes crashing down in a glorious avalanche of sludge I don’t dare turn it down again. I’m on fire, indeed.
Because I’m not the kind of guy who listens to Jesus Lizard, I was usually drawn to the less punishing corners of Albini’s discography. Like, say, Low:
Then there’s the time he worked with Godspeed, a band who definitely took his Problem With Music manifesto to heart. O, to be a fly on the wall at that recording session (or not, because they probably got on famously). Or backstage at All Tomorrow’s Parties, where he booked Godspeed—but not their opening act, Do Make Say Think, who were shoehorned onto the bill against his wishes. Anyway:
Amazing to me that Exclaim magazine, of all people, wrote an obit that didn’t mention any of Albini’s Canadian clients: Godspeed, Shadowy Men, the Sadies, Fucked Up, Thrush Hermit, Phleg Camp… that’s just off the top of my head. I know there’s dozens more: a quick Wikipedia glance offers Metz, From Fiction, KEN Mode. But hey, I guess Exclaim felt it was important to mention he worked with a band called Leftover Crack.
Did you know Albini once recorded the Sadies at Greg Keelor’s farm? And also their live album at Lee’s Palace? Look, here’s a song he did for Shadowy Men called “Off Our Back, Conrad Black”!!!
Two things always struck me about Albini:
He always insisted he was not a producer but an engineer, that he was just there to capture the way the artist naturally sounded, not to sculpt them into something else — especially not for radio consumption or the approval of anyone except the artist themselves. He famously turned down royalty “points” on In Utero because he thought it was immoral for a producer/engineer to have a commercial stake in the finished product; that money should go to the artists. That decision cost him literally millions of dollars.
There is no “Steve Albini sound.” Sure, everyone will point to his work in the late ’80s and early ’90s as somewhat revolutionary in rock music, both retro in its raw approach and forward-looking by sounding like nothing else. But walking into his studio wasn’t going to guarantee you a good record: that’s on you. He’s not going to polish your turd — which is pretty much every producer/engineer’s job these days. He’ll show up and place the mics in ways that flatter — or expose — your performance, no matter what kind of music you make, even if you’re a fantastically verbose singer-songwriter who plays the harp and hired Van Dyke Parks to write ornate string arrangements and your songs have no parts for crushing guitars or thundering drums:
Thinking about Albini reminds me of Howard Bilerman in Montreal, one of my favourite interview subjects in Hearts on Fire. I don’t know if he and Albini were friends, necessarily (UPDATE: They were, and had been texting just last week about a Montreal visit), but I do know Albini shared advice when Bilerman was helping to build the Hotel 2 Tango studio with members of Godspeed.
Like Albini, Bilerman has lots of opinions, about recording and everything else. Like Albini, Bilerman is wary of music biz sharks and delusions of stardom. Bilerman got tons of calls after Arcade Fire’s Funeral — including one from Coldplay — hoping to catch some of the magic heard on that surprise hit record, or, perhaps, something else they heard coming out of Hotel 2 Tango. But Bilerman was/is a working man: he’s there to serve the artist, not mold them into his own vision. There is no “Howard Bilerman sound.” And, again like Albini, with Bilerman you’re bound to get a few passionate opinions along with a great mix.
In 2020, Bilerman told me:
I grew up in the ’90s really liking one kind of music: first-generation indie rock. Replacements, Husker Du, Fugazi, Superchunk. I saw all those bands dozens of times, except Husker Du. When I started recording bands, I wanted to sound like that. I was very judgmental of bands that didn’t sound like that. I realized very quickly, and was solidified by a conversation I had with Steve Albini, that that was a disservice to the bands and to the music I was recording and to myself. When you turn off that part of your brain and address it as, ‘This is the kind of music that the people making it really like. There’s a group of people who will hear this music who will really like it. What’s the best I can do with this band right now?’ That changed the way I approach recording.
Anyway: heart attack at 61. I couldn’t help but think of Albini’s friend Dallas Good, who died more than two years ago of a heart attack at 48. Dudes, my friend Teresa posted this link to social media today. Take care of yourselves.
All news, no snooze
Speaking of the Sadies, Hearts on Fire and Have Not Been the Same readers will be excited to learn that Rick White (Eric’s Trip, Elevator) has made a full-length album with his friends the Sadies; it’s out June 7. Not sure if Greg Keelor was invited this time, so it’s not The Unintended (the 2003 band with all those men).
Rob Bowman, the former York U prof and one of the most in-demand music historians in North America with Grammy nods to his name, is hot off his appearance in the Jackie Shane doc with a new four-part HBO series about Stax Records out May 20. It’s based on his authoritative book Soulsville U.S.A. Can’t wait. Here’s the trailer:
I don’t want to get into the big rap beef of the decade, other than to say that this Pitchfork piece by Alphonse Pierre is most definitely the only thing you should read about it. And think of the poor security guard who now has life-threatening injuries because he was posted outside Drake’s house.
Hearts on Fire readers: Billy Talent is reissuing their debut album — no, not the one with all the big hits, but the one they put out when they couldn’t get arrested at Ted’s Wrecking Yard, back when they were called Pezz. 1999’s Watoosh! will come out on Dine Alone Records — digitally, anyway. Wonder if it will still have their piss-take on “New Orleans is Sinking.”
Stuart Berman, always one of my favourite writers, pulls off an all-timer with his take on Neil Young’s new live album. I don’t just love it because the review includes a deep history of the Rivoli club (where I saw Suzie Ungerleider slay last night), but because it has lines about how Neil and Crazy Horse “rumble into Fu##in’ Up’s agitated titled track (aka “Heart of Steel”) with all the subtlety of an uncontrolled bowel movement.” Read it here.
Randy Travis, an artist never known to be cutting-edge, is the latest to embrace AI on his latest single — sadly, because he’s medically incapable of singing. That makes the story of the song’s successful creation somewhat heartwarming. But it’s still super creepy, with larger ramifications. But then again I loved those goddam ABBA holograms, so…
Finally, RIP to Duane Eddy, Mr. “Have Twangy Guitar, Will Travel,” who Gen Xers will know mainly because he played on Art of Noise’s “Peter Gunn” cover. He died in Nashville, age 86. As a teenager in the 1980s, I was unusually obsessed with the 1950s guitarist. But I’ll save that essay for Fathers’ Day.
T.O. SHOWS YOU SHOULD KNOW
An entirely subjective and by no means comprehensive look at Toronto’s concert calendar, tailored to musically curious people who are probably (but not necessarily) over 40. My strong recommendations in bold.
Suggestions welcome. So are advertisers!
Don’t live in Toronto? Most of these artists are on tour, so check your local listings. Just kidding! There are no local listings anymore. Check the artists’ websites.
JUST ANNOUNCED (mark your calendars):
Guitar Wolf: May 18 at Lee’s Palace
Bibi Club: May 27 at Drake Underground
Torquil Campbell (Stars) sings Prefab Sprout: May 31 at Crow’s Theatre. Details here. #HeartsOnFire
Hailu Mergia, Protomartyr, Mother Tongues, Cassandra Jenkins, more: June 8 at David Pecault Square. Free, presented by Wavelength as part of Luminato Festival.
Lemon Bucket Orchestra: June 15 at Opera House. Album release.
Big Freedia, Haviah Mighty: June 16 at David Pecault Square. Free, as part of Luminato Festival.
Madison Cunningham: July 4 at Concert Hall
Felice Brothers: July 24 at Longboat Hall
Ducks Ltd.: Aug 22 at Longboat Hall
Ladytron: Aug 30 at the Phoenix
Fontaines DC: Oct 11 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Illuminati Hotties: Oct 12 at Longboat Hall
Johnny Marr w/ James (the band, you know, “Laid”): Oct 14 at History. In the words of one friend, “Marr plays a pile of Smiths songs in his set, sounds great, won’t cancel at random, and won’t make you feel like you’re supporting fascists if you go to his show.”
David Cross: Oct 25 at Danforth Music Hall
Sisters of Mercy: Oct 26 at History. Yes, five days before Hallowe’en, and no, Public Enemy will not be opening.
Engelbert Humperdinck: Nov 6 at Massey Hall. FWIW this is “The Last Waltz” for Mr. Humperdinck (not his real name).
Jim Cuddy: Nov 27 at Massey Hall. Non-Torontonians: He’s also playing every possible town in Ontario this year, to promote sixth solo album. Which is co-produced by Tim Vesely, whose lifetime musical colleague Dave Bidini once considered himself Cuddy’s arch-nemesis. Kidding. Maybe.
Donovan Woods: Dec 5 at Massey Hall
Alvvays: Dec 5-7 at Concert Hall
Tonight and every night!:
The Tranzac and Drom Taberna, the two venues closest to my heart, boast several acts a night and have the most eclectic lineups — just go! The equally busy Cameron House has mostly roots vibes; jazz is always happening at the Rex Hotel. Jazzintoronto.ca’s Instagram page has daily jazz listings at various venues. For the best in Toronto’s Latin and Caribbean scene, check Lula Lounge.
Coming this week:
Kronos Quartet: May 9 at Koerner Hall. 50th anniversary tour.
Beams, Zinnia, Pelican Movement: May 9 at the Garrison. Album release show for Toronto psych-folk band Beams; album out May 3.
Corin Raymond: May 9 at Cameron House 6 p.m.
Dave Clark’s Western Slang; May 9 at Cameron House 10 p.m.
TransCanada Highwaymen: May 9 at Burlington Performing Arts Centre #HaveNotBeentheSame
Art of Time Ensemble: May 9-11 at Harbourfront Centre Theatre. Tribute to Joni Mitchell featuring Hawksley Workman, Sarah Slean, Abigail Lapell, Jasmyn, more. Final shows for the AoT, packing it in after 25 successful years.
Chastity Belt: May 10 at Great Hall
Collete Savard & the Savants: May 10 at Tranzac 7 p.m.
Communism: May 10 at Dakota 10 p.m.
The Sadies, Skydiggers, Paul Langlois Band: May 10 at Concert Hall #HaveNotBeentheSame #NeverEndingPresent #HeartsOnFire
The Sattalites: May 10 at Redwood Theatre (Gerrard and Greenwood)
Craig David: May 11 at History
Jon Cowherd / Brian Blade / John Patitucci; Larnell Lewis / Joy Lapps: May 11 at Koerner Hall
Ichi-Bons, the Kewpie Dolls, the Slow Drags, Fuzz Vultures, Thee Rogue Telstars: May 11 at Owl’s Club (Dovercourt and Shanly)
Jann Arden & Rick Mercer in conversation: May 12 at Roy Thomson Hall (3 p.m. and 8 p.m.)
Julia Holter: May 13 at Great Hall
The Alarm, Gene Loves Jezebel, The Blow Monkeys, Belouis Some: May 13 at El Mocambo. CANCELLED
Mk.Gee: May 13 at the Phoenix
Ride: May 14 at Concert Hall
James Brandon Lewis, the Messthetics: May 14 at Velvet Underground. Wrote about this here. Also playing the Hillside Festival in July.
Roy: May 15 at Cameron House 6 p.m.
Hermanos Gutiérrez: May 15 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Dudes, chill.
Laura May Grace: May 15 at Axis Club
Geordie Gordon: May 15 at Glad Day Bookshop. Details here. Wrote about him here.
Toronto Klezmer Society Epic Jam: May 15 at Tranzac 9.30 p.m. Come join! Details here.
Colin Stetson: May 16 at Axis Club
Coming sooner than later
Cindy Lee, Freak Heat Waves: May 17 at Longboat Hall Concert Hall. Venue upgraded to one 3x the size of the original, after an unusually high Pitchfork score for the new record. Hey wait, do reviews matter?! CANCELLED! Rest of the tour called off.
Metz: May 17 at Danforth Music Hall.
Trey Anastasio & Classic Tab: May 18 at History.
P’tit Belliveau: May 18 at Garrison
Neil Young & Crazy Horse: May 20 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre. Also playing same venue on July 8.
Nana Mouskouri: May 21 at Massey Hall. CANCELLED
Buck Meek (of Big Thief): May 22 at Horseshoe Great Hall
Kaia Kater, Abigail Lapell: May 22 at Allied Music Centre (inside Massey Hall)
Celebrating Gordon Lightfoot: May 23 at Massey Hall. Featuring Blue Rodeo, Allison Russell, Aysanabee, Burton Cummings, Meredith Moon, Sylvia Tyson, the Good Brothers, Tom Cochrane, William Prince, and even more heavy hitters announced recently. Most likely will not suck. Sold out.
Echo & the Bunnymen: May 23 at History
Saga, Harlequin, Images in Vogue: May 23 at Classic Bowl Mississauga
Honeymoon Suite, Streetheart, Lee Aaron: May 24 at Classic Bowl Mississauga
Brainiac: May 24 at the Horseshoe
Art of Noise (!!!!), Spoons: May 25 at Classic Bowl Mississauga. Details here. The current Art of Noise lineup is founding members J.J. Jeczalik and Gary Langan (Paul Morley and Anne Dudley were in recent one-off reunions, but not this tour; Trevor Horn is presumably focusing on his recent Buggles reunion). Joining them is Neal X from Sigue Sigue Sputnik—another name I didn’t expect to see in 2024 live music listings.
Limblifter: May 25 at Horseshoe Tavern
Bruce Cockburn: May 25 at Massey Hall. This legend has been around forever, but take note: the 78-year-old is not going to be around forever. Don’t regret this later, is all I’m saying, especially if you’ve never seen him live.
Shannon & the Clams: May 25 at the Concert Hall
Gary Clark Jr.: May 26-27 at History
The Damned, the Ichi-Bons: May 27 at Danforth Music Hall
Gentleman Reg, Kelly McMichael: May 28 at the Burdock #HeartsOnFire
James Gordon: May 29 at Hugh’s Room
David Murray, Kahil El’Zabar: May 29-30 at CONTXT by Trane (254 Lansdowne Ave, above Bsmt254). Jazz legends in intimate space, 80 cap. Details here.
Eamon McGrath: May 30 at Dakota Tavern.
Loony: May 31 at Opera House
Khruangbin: May 31 - June 2 at History.
Camera Obscura: June 1 at the Concert Hall
Walk Off the Earth: June 1 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Glass Beams: June 2 at the Phoenix
Okkervil River, the Antlers: June 3 at the Great Hall
Easy Mo Bee, Terminator X: June 3 at El Mocambo.
Katie Tupper: June 5-6 at Drake Underground
Charlotte Day Wilson: June 6 at History
Julie Doiron w/ band, Carson McHone: June 6 at the Monarch Tavern #HaveNotBeentheSame #NeverEndingPresent
Boeckner: June 7 at Horseshoe. The man who once wrote a song called “This #HeartsOnFire.” I wrote about his career here and here.
Pixies, Modest Mouse, Cat Power: June 8 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Allie X: June 8 at Opera House
Róisín Murphy: June 10 at History
Kim Gordon: June 10 at Axis
Snotty Nose Rez Kids: June 10 at Allied Music Centre (inside Massey Hall). Headlining the International Indigenous Music Summit.
Spencer Krug: June 11 at Baby G #HeartsOnFire
Snoop Dogg, DJ Quik, Warren G: June 12 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
NXNE: June 12-16 at various venues
Corinne Bailey Rae: June 13 at Danforth Music Hall
Doug Paisley: June 14 at Rivoli
Quasi, Jeffrey Lewis: June 15 at the Garrison
The Budos Band: June 15 at the Phoenix
The Reverend Horton Heat: June 15 at the Horseshoe
NXNE Day Party: June 16 in parking lot off Queen West between Augusta and Denison
Chris Brokaw, Picastro: June 17 at Baby G
The Umbrellas: June 17 at Monarch Tavern
Looking ahead
Sarah McLachlan, Feist: June 18 at Artpark in Lewiston, N.Y. (Niagara) #HaveNotBeentheSame #HeartsOnFire.
Sarah McLachlan, Allison Russell: June 19 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre #HaveNotBeentheSame
Toronto Klezmer Society Epic Jam: June 19 at Tranzac 9.30 p.m. Come join! Details here.
Laurel Halo, Sarah Davachi: June 19 at Great Hall
Mo Lowda & the Humble, The Thing: June 20 at Horseshoe Tavern. Headliner is a Philly indie rock band that could be sons of War on Drugs. The opening act, The Thing, is the same Scandinavian jazz trio, featuring saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, who once recorded with Neneh Cherry.
Los Campesinos!: June 20 at the Opera House
Arkells, Tegan & Sara: June 21 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre #HeartsOnFire
Arkells, Grouplove: June 22 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
The Teskey Brothers: June 22 at Massey Hall (two shows, including matinee)
Preservation Hall Jazz Band: June 22 at Concert Hall
Jill Barber: June 23-24 at Jazz Bistro
The Church, Afghan Whigs, Ed Harcourt: June 24 at Danforth Music Hall
Ian Thomas: June 24 at Burlington Performing Arts Centre
Maren Morris opening for Maroon 5: June 25 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
ML Buch, Joseph Shabason: June 25 at Longboat Hall
Santana, Counting Crows: June 26 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Andy Haas, Mike Milligan: June 26 at Sellers & Newel
Norah Jones: June 27 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Barenaked Ladies, Sam Roberts Band, KT Tunstall: June 27 at Sobeys Stadium (York University). #HaveNotBeentheSame #NeverEndingPresent #HeartsonFire.
Caifanes and Cafe Tacvba: June 28 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre.
Lake Street Dive: June 28 at History
Pedro the Lion: June 28 at Great Hall
Neon Dreams: June 28 at Velvet Underground
Kurt Vile & Violators, Myriam Gendron: June 28 at Danforth Music Hall. Get there early and pay attention to the opener!
André 3000: June 28 at Massey Hall
Jhené Aiko: July 2 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Wilco: July 2-3 at Massey Hall. July 2 is with local Katie Cruel; July 3 with Cut Worms.
Daryl Hall, Elvis Costello & the Impostors: July 4 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre.
Janet Jackson, Nelly: July 3 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Orville Peck, the War and Treaty, Goldie Boutilier: July 3 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre.
Future Islands: July 4 at Massey Hall
Mother Mother, Cavetown: July 5 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
City and Colour, Metric, Sloan: July 5 at Born & Raised Festival (St. Catharines) #HeartsOnFire #HaveNotBeentheSame
L’eclair: July 5 at the Horseshoe. This Swiss electro-jam outfit, who backed up the Zambian rock band W.I.T.C.H. recently, return after an ecstatic show at the Monarch last year.
Os Mutantes: July 5 at Great Hall. Everything is possible! Except maybe the late Rita Lee making this gig.
Band of Horses: July 5 at History. Huh: I guess Mariposa doesn’t have a radius clause.
Mariposa Festival: July 5-7 in Orillia. Featuring Band of Horses, Donovan Woods, Okkervill River, Bahamas, Maestro Fresh Wes, Ben Caplan, Bry Webb, Shad, Cat Clyde, Carleigh Aikins, Colin Linden, Jeremie Albino, B.A. Johnston. And a “special performance” by Bruce Cockburn. Tickets here.
Alexisonfire, The Used, Counterparts: July 6 at Born & Raised Festival (St. Catharines) #HeartsOnFire
Big Shiny Saturday feat. The Tea Party, Headstones, I Mother Earth, Bif Naked, Treble Charger: July 6 at Sobey’s Stadium (York University)
Etran de l’Aïr: July 7 at Longboat Hall (Great Hall)
Killer Mike: July 7 at Danforth Music Hall
Neil Young & Crazy Horse: July 8 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre (in addition to May 20 show)
Steve Earle: July 8 at Danforth Music Hall. Also playing London, Hamilton, Ottawa and Kingston that same week.
Tyler Childers, S.G. Goodman: July 9 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Jah Wobble: July 10 at Great Hall. The bassist/bandleader will be toting his new memoir.
Mt. Joy: July 10 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Amanda Marshall, Colin James, Ahi: July 12 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Billy Talent, Cancer Bats: July 12 at Because Beer Festival, Pier 4 Park, Hamilton #HeartsOnFire
Five Alarm Funk: July 12 at Axis Club
Four Winds Music Fest feat. Bahamas, Joel Plaskett, Great Lake Swimmers, Daniel Romano’s Outfit, Terra Lightfoot, Boy Golden, more: July 12-14 in Durham (the town, not the county; between Guelph and Owen Sound, near Flesherton). Info here.
Alanis Morissette, Joan Jett: July 13 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Ben Howard, John Francis Flynn: July 13 at History. I know nothing about the headliner, but the Irish Flynn is often mentioned in the same breath as Lankum and Lisa O’Neill.
Tokyo Police Club, Dizzy, Cuff the Duke: July 13 at Because Beer Festival, Pier 4 Park, Hamilton
Pup, Nobro, Daniel Romano’s Outfit, Status/Non-Status: July 14 at Because Beer Festival, Pier 4 Park, Hamilton
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wand, IronTom: July 15 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Mike Campbell (Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers): July 16 at Danforth Music Hall
Ibibio Sound Machine: July 17 at Adelaide Hall.
Unwound (!), Wednesday: July 18 at Concert Hall
Schoolboy Q: July 18 at History
Hillside Festival: July 19-21 featuring Richard Thompson, Aysanabee, Blackie & the Rodeo Kings with Daniel Lanois & Terra Lightfoot, Bombino, Messthetics with James Brandon Lewis, Nobro, Patrick Watson, Beings (Steve Gunn, Jim White, Shahzad Ismaily, Zoh Amba), Medicine Singers w Yonatan Gat & Lee Ranaldo, Five Alarm Funk, Land of Talk, Rich Aucoin, Ashley MacIsaac and much much more. Details here.
3 Inches of Blood: July 20 at Danforth Music Hall
Totally Tubular Festival: Thomas Dolby, Tom Bailey, Men Without Hats, Bow Wow Wow, Modern English, New Romantics: July 24 at Great Canadian Casino (Woodbine Racetrack)
Regina Spektor: July 25 at History
Skratch Bastid’s BBQ: July 27-28 at the Bentway
Slash, Warren Haynes Band, Robert Randolph, Keb Mo, more: July 28 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Tinariwen: July 31 at the Phoenix
Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, the Linda Lindas: Aug 1 at Skydome
Heart, Journey, Def Leppard: Aug 2 at Skydome.
Jennifer Lopez: Aug 2-3 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Electric Eclectics Festival: Aug 2-4 at the Funny Farm in Meaford, Ontario. Weirdos unite! Details here.
Sleater-Kinney: Aug 3 at Danforth Music Hall.
Billy Idol, Platinum Blonde: Aug 9 at Raptors/Leafs Arena.
Karan Aujla: Aug 10 at Raptors/Leafs Arena.
Joel Plaskett Emergency: Aug 10 opening for Alan Doyle at Ontario Place Ampitheatre #HeartsOnFire
Future, Metro Boomin: Aug 11 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Avril Lavigne: Aug 12 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Idina Menzel: Aug 13 at Massey Hall
P!nk, Sheryl Crow: Aug 14 at Skydome
Tedeschi Trucks Band, Margo Price: Aug 15 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Blink 182, Alexisonfire, Pierce the Veil: Aug 15 at Skydome
Avril Lavigne: Aug 16 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Midge Ure: Aug 16 at El Mocambo
Elora RiverFest: Aug 16-18 featuring Fleet Foxes, Violent Femmes, Sudan Archives, Corb Lund, Chali 2na & Cut Chemist, Wild Rivers, Bully, Moneen, Mariel Buckley, Nicolette & the Nobodies, Nyssa, Population II, more. Details here.
Iron & Wine: Aug 17 at Danforth Music Hall
A Flock of Seagulls: Aug 17 at El Mocambo
NOFX: Aug 17-18 at Downsview Park. Final tour.
New Kids on the Block, Paula Abdul, DJ Jazzy Jeff: Aug 17-18 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Mike.: Aug 18 at History. Not joining him: Dave.
Santigold: Aug 19 at Rebel.
Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Ciara, Timbaland: Aug 19-20 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Bush (X), Jerry Cantrell, Candlebox: Aug 19 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Aug 21 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
The Beaches, Dizzy, Valley: Aug 22 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre. Beaches by the beach! Also: tix are only $30.
Passenger: Aug 22 at Massey Hall
Blue Rodeo, Matt Mays, Begonia: Aug 24 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre #HaveNotBeentheSame
Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, Fefe Dobson, more: Aug 24 at Burl’s Creek (Oro-Medonte)
Billy Talent, All-American Rejects, Silverstein, more: Aug 25 at Burl’s Creek (Oro-Medonte) #HeartsOnFire
Deep Purple, Yes: Aug 25 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
The Gaslight Anthem: Aug 25 at History
Cage the Elephant: Aug 27 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Sean Paul, DJ Premier: Aug 28 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Peter Hook & the Light (performing Joy Division and New Order): Aug 31 at History
Cigarettes After Sex: Sept 1 at Raptors/Leafs arena
Usher: Sept 2-3 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Bikini Kill: Sept 3 at History
Marika Hackman: Sept 5 at Drake Underground
Weezer, Flaming Lips, Dinosaur Jr.: Sept 8 at Raptors/Leafs Arena. The dream of the ’90s is alive!
Stone Temple Pilots, Live, Soul Asylum, Our Lady Peace: Sept 8 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre. The dream of the ’90s is alive! I can’t believe this and the Weezer bill hit town on the same day. Choose your team.
Jeff Lynne’s ELO: Sept 9 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Spoon: Sept 10 at Danforth Music Hall.
Pulp: Sept 10-11 at History. Help the aged!
Paul Weller: Sept 13 at History
St. Vincent: Sept 14 at Massey Hall
Explosions in the Sky: Sept 14 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Cat Power: Sept 14 at Fallsview Casino. That’s right, ’90s weirdos, you’re in your casino years now.
The Hives: Sept 16 at History.
Amen Dunes: Sept 17 at Concert Hall
Charlie XCX and Troye Sivan: Sept 18 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Hans Zimmer: Sept 19 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Frank Turner: Sept 19-22 at Great Canadian Casino (Woodbine Racetrack). Support acts: Henry Rollins on Sept 19, Nobro on Sept 20, the Dirty Nil on Sept 21 and Bedouin Soundclash on Sept 22.
The National, War on Drugs, Lucius: Sept 20 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Idles: Sept 20 at Coca-Cola Coliseum (Exhibition Place)
Wanda Sykes: Sept 20 at Meridian Hall
Keane: Sept 20 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Idles: Sept 20 at CNE Coliseum
Sting: Sept 20-22 & 24-25 at Massey Hall.
Vampire Weekend, Cults: Sept 24 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Korn: Sept 25 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
PJ Harvey: Sept 25-26 at History
The Marley Brothers (including Ziggy, Damian and Stephen): Sept 29 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Kings of Leon, Phantogram: Oct 1 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Herbie Hancock: Oct 1 at Massey Hall
Billie Eilish: Oct 1-2 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
David Sedaris: Oct 2 at Massey Hall (in addition to sold-out April 7, 2024 date)
Death From Above 1979: Oct 4 at History
Get Up Kids, Smoking Popes: Oct 4 at Danforth Music Hall
Stars: Oct 3-5 at Concert Hall. #HeartsOnFire 20th anniversary of Set Yourself on Fire. First two shows sold out.
Raffi: Oct 5 (2 shows) at Massey Hall
Lemon Twigs: Oct 5 at Lee’s Palace
Social Distortion, the Bellrays: October 5 at History
Yard Act: Oct 7 at Axis Club
OMD: October 8 at History
Chromeo: Oct 9 at History
The Black Keys, the Head and the Heart: Oct 11 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
La Luz: Oct 12 at Horseshoe Adelaide Hall
Air: Oct 12 at Massey Hall. Playing Moon Safari. And completely sold out.
Justin Timberlake: Oct 17-18 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Beat: (’80s King Crimson performed by Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Steve Vai, Danny Carey): Oct 18 at Massey Hall
Slift: Oct 20 at Lee’s Palace. Super heavy French psych rock band who make King Gizzard look like lightweights. Can we get Montreal’s Population II on this bill?
Maggie Rogers: Oct 22 at CNE Coliseum (a.k.a. Coca Cola)
Drive-By Truckers: Oct 22 at Danforth Music Hall. Playing Southern Rock Opera.
Dwayne Gretzky: Oct 26 at Massey Hall
Iron Maiden: Oct 26 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Tenille Townes: Oct 26 at Danforth Music Hall
Ben Caplan: Oct 29 at Allied Music Centre (inside Massey Hall)
Devonté Hynes with Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Nov 1 at Roy Thomson Hall
Patrick Watson with Orchestre FILMharmonique: Nov 2 at Meridian Hall
Mickey Guyton: Nov 2 at… the Velvet Underground? That’s an odd choice for an Opry artist.
Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band: Nov 3 & 6 at Raptors/Leafs Arena. Rescheduled from Nov 14 & 16, 2023.
Kacey Musgraves, Lord Huron, Nickel Creek: Nov 7 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Chantal Kreviazuk: Nov 9 at Massey Hall. Celebrating 25 years of her second album, Colour Moving and Still, to be re-released on vinyl.
Danny Michel, Steve Poltz: Nov 11 at Great Hall. Together again—they’re the new Steve Martin and Martin Short!
La Femme: Nov 13 at Opera House
Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams: November 14-16, 21-23, 2024 at Skydome. Good luck! Death to Ticketmaster!
Rich Aucoin: Nov 16 at Longboat Hall
Adrianne Lenker (Big Thief): Nov 16 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Tokyo Police Club: Nov 27-29 at History. Final shows.
Shakira: Nov 30 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
The Dead South: Dec 7 at Massey Hall
Choir! Choir! Choir!: Unsilent Night: Dec 21 at Massey Hall (2 p.m. & 8 p.m.)
Aerosmith, Black Crowes: Jan 7 at Raptors/Leafs Arena. Rescheduled for the second time, more than a year after the original date. Apparently Steven Tyler’s vocal cords were in worse shape than originally diagnosed. Original tickets from November 2023 honoured.
Sum 41: Jan 28 & 30, 2025, at Raptors/Leafs Arena. Final show of final tour.
Chilly Gonzales: April 22, 2025 at Massey Hall. #HeartsOnFire
Be kind to each other.
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I am grateful for Michael's regular expositions on culture. He opens his ears to so much , which open mine too!!